1
Gulf War Air Power Survey, vol. V, (Washington: GPO, 1993), p. 76.
2
Chuck Roberts, “C-130 Crews Keep The Supplies Coming,” Air Force News, Apr. 16, 2003.
Congressional Research Service ˜ The Library of Congress
CRS Report for Congress
Received through the CRS Web
Order Code RS20915
Updated March 25, 2005
Strategic Airlift Modernization: Background,
Issues and Options
Christopher Bolkcom
Analyst in National Defense
Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division
Summary
There is a growing consensus that the U.S. strategic airlift fleet provides an
increasingly important military capability, and is increasingly stressed. The Department
of Defense’s (DOD) latest mobility study points to a shortfall in current and projected
airlift capability. Several options have been suggested to address this reported shortfall.
This report will be updated as events warrant.
Background
The ability to project military power over great distances is a central tenet of the U.S.
national military strategy and the massive military buildup before Operation Desert Storm
(the 1991 war with Iraq) highlighted the value of strategic airlift. U.S. aircraft moved
over 500,000 troops and 543,548 tons of cargo.
1
Strategic airlift has also played a key
role in recent conflicts. On April 10, 2003, the U.S. Transportation Command reported
that it had exceeded its Operation Desert Storm airlift operations by flying 16,213
missions for the most recent war in Iraq, Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). Air mobility
sorties made up the majority of the 28,500 total sorties that have been flown during OIF,
2
and C-17s executed a much publicized airdrop of the 173
rd
Airborne Brigade into northern
Iraq. Other transportation modes, such as sealift, can deploy troops and equipment. The
strongest argument for using airlift instead of other modes is speed.
Despite its importance, today’s U.S. strategic airlift system is under stress. Over the
past 10 years, the United States has reduced its Cold War infrastructure and closed two-
thirds of its forward bases. Therefore, to maintain the same level of global engagement,
U.S. forces must deploy more frequently and over greater distances. Even prior to the
September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and resulting conflicts, the Air Force estimated that
it deployed four times more frequently than when it enjoyed the larger, Cold War
